THE BIG DEBATE BURSTS BACK - WITH REDI TLHABI

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

The SABC told parliament it moved the popular Afrikaans soap 7de Laan on SABC2 to several different timeslots and now to 18:00 since this month so that now viewers can "see it before anything else" - despite the fact that millions of viewers are not home at that time to watch it.

Meanwhile TV executives are buzzing with several of them now openly wondering whether "the SABC is now trying to kill 7de Laan".

In the ongoing furore about SABC2's latest controversial schedule changes, the channel dumped the 7de Laan omnibus repeats on weekends three weeks ago without telling viewers in advance.

On Sunday afternoons 7de Laan lured around 1.1 million viewers - and its axing in terms of ratings is basically the same as if the SABC cancelled the soap Isidingo on SABC3 that gets 1.3 million viewers.

The SABC said viewers who have the luxury of the internet and broadband data can watch the show on YouTube.

Viewers also continue to blast the SABC for moving the Danie Odendaal Productions show to a new timeslot yet again after changing its timeslot just 7 months ago.

So far SABC2 has chosen to remain silent and ignore viewers' complaints, with the channel that isn't responding to any of the comments from the flood of viewers begging SABC2 to bring the 7de Laan Sunday omnibus back.

Ironically SABC2 channel head Gerhard Pretorius said on SABC2 at the beginning of February that the channel always listens to viewers and wants to hear from them.

On Tuesday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Veronica van Dyk in the sitting of the portfolio committee on communications asked the SABC why it moved 7de Laan to 18:00 and to explain why it's not considering viewers, why it removed the omnibus on Sundays. and how viewers are supposed to catch up who can't see it at 18:00.

The SABC's acting CEO James Aguma said he can't answer the question.

The SABC's current acting chief operating officer (COO) Bessie Tugwana said 7de Laan was scheduled at 18:30 "which we subsequently moved to 17:00 and now its sitting at 18:00".

"7de Laan for the past year, we realised that it was declining audiences," Bessie Tugwana told parliament.

She declined to mention that it was the SABC's moves that caused the 7de Laan ratings collapse since mid-2016. The show's monthly viewership erosion in -mid2016 started and continued when the SABC first decided to tamper with its timeslot.

"7de Laan is a pillar for SABC. It's a programme that's viewed by many people who speak Afrikaans, black or white or coloured. Therefore we protect it."

"So the move was not to kill it. The move was to protect it. So at 6pm currently, there isn't much aggressive competition, first. Secondly, there was a concern that it was not in prime time.That is not so. Prime time is defined as between 18:00 and 22:00," said Bessie Tugwana.

"So it's still at prime time. What we've done, its something that audiences see before anything else. In prime time at 18:00."

'We will constantly be vigilant in terms of how its performing," she said.

In America, the world's most advanced TV market, prime time is actually defined as starting at 19:00.

Bessie Tugwana didn't explain why SABC2 doesn't want a 7de Laan omnibus repeat on weekends and took it away from viewers on Sundays.

Is the SABC trying to kill 7de Laan?
TV insiders - channel executives and executive producers of shows at channels and programmes competing with the SABC, SABC2 and 7de Laan - are now openly and in amazement wondering what SABC2's plan is with 7de Laan and wondering out loud "if the SABC is trying to kill 7de Laan?"

"What is their strategy? Why on earth would they be doing something like this?" asked a longtime Afrikaans TV programming executive.

"Is the SABC trying to kill off 7de Laan?" wondered one executive attached to a weekday Afrikaans soap. "Why the bad treatment?"

Viewers are vocal in their unhappiness.

So where exactly do your viewers belong? On YouTube?" asks SABC2 viewer Margaret van Tonder. "I hope you are taking note of how many people are disappointed in you, SABC2!"This 6pm timeslot is just not working out!" says Neofabulous Ramafoko. "We've just come home from work, sorting dinner out, getting kids to bath, etc. 1pm we are at work so we can't see the repeat. As if that isn't enough: no omnibus!""The SABC is taking its viewers for granted," said Roberta Maluleka.

■ Security beefed up at DStv Nigeria.
Nigerian police deploy anti-riot policemen at MultiChoice Nigeria's headquarters to protect the pay-TV operator from any further attacks like the trash smash in which MTN Nigeria was looted, robbed and vandalised.

Sunday, February 26, 2017

It's something that E! Entertainment (DStv 124) doesn't want to draw attention to and much less wants to explain, but the channel that promises live red carpet coverage from the Oscars every year, has actually stopped providing it to viewers for a full hour before the Oscars ceremony is set to start - doing neither coverage from the actual red carpet, nor live red carpet coverage.

But why?

Viewers who tune in and look carefully (it also happened last year) will notice that the entertainment TV channel from NBCUniversal International Networks stops providing actual live red carpet reporting, live interviews and any live video shots of stars' arrival for the hour before The 89th Annual Academy Awards 2017 starts.

E! was also blocked last year, unable to actually be next to the red carpet and reporting live during the last hour.

This final hour outside the Dolby Theatre is the busiest and most premium red carpet period, the time during which the most high-profile celebrities and stars from the world of entertainment make their red carpet arrival.

The truth is that E! doesn't have the rights (and neither does a lot of other broadcasters and media) with E! that ends up "fooling" viewers in a sense through broadcasting a "reshow" to pad the time until the awards ceremony starts.

Since E! isn't allowed to show any live coverage or interviews from the actual red carpet during the final hour before the Oscars, E! Entertainment does a "red carpet rundown" with presenters discussing and showing clips and photos of stars who had already made an appearance up to that point for a full hour, as well as pre-recorded interviews and inserts.

For the 89th Annual Academy Awards it works like this: E! does E! Live from the Red Carpet: The 2017 Academy Awards from 00:30 - 02:30, then Oscars Red Carpet Rundown 2017 from 02:30 - 03:30.

The awards show starts at 03:30.

Notice that hour from 02:30 to 03:30 that isn't actual live red carpet coverage.

Viewers who look closely will see how Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic will again - like in 2016 - abruptly cease doing live red carpet coverage at 02:30 and throw to E!'s lesser-known presenters for an hour of padded talk.

On M-Net Movies Premiere (DStv 104) however that carries the official Oscars awards show as well as the official red carpet pre-show, this is where subscribers to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform actually get to see the little-publicised real red carpet coverage in the hour just before the Academy Awards.

The M-Net Movies Premiere channel shows Oscars Red Carpet Live (00:00 - 02:00), then the final hour of the real red carpet coverage with On the Red Carpet: The Arrivals 2017 (02:30 - 03:30), followed by The 89th Annual Academy Awards 2017 (03:30 - 07:40).

These red carpet pre-shows are done by America's ABC TV network, the same "official" network that in America has the rights and broadcast the Oscars as part of a multi-year deal.

ABC doesn't want E! and others to do competing, live red carpet coverage because ABC paid for the rights to the awards show and the official red carpet coverage pre-show.

The Los Angelesexplains nicely why E! and others are being blocked from doing red carpet coverage during the most desired time: that final hour - and it all has to do with broadcasting rights and money.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has now started charging broadcasters and TV channels a massive fee to do red carpet coverage running to thousands of dollars and is also blocking the final hour so that ABC can have it (exclusively).

It means that E! and other media are effectively blocked from any interviews and live coverage with any of the really big stars (because they don't arrive early to stand around and do interviews for that long).

For many years it has been these media like E! since 1990 who helped to hype and build up the Oscars and award show red carpet coverage through their presence, and reporting from it, to what it is today.

Now they're being asked to pay to promote and publicise a media event, and are also blocked from the parts that have the most value.

E! doesn't really want to talk about this sensitive issue that's obviously quite problematic if your name and alphabet TV calling card letter is built on the presumption of providing actual red carpet coverage.

Adam Stotsky, president of E!, told The Los Angeles Times that asked about the issue only that E! is "an important vehicle to reach the millennial audience" and that being barred from the last hour of the red carpet wouldn't hamper E!'s Oscars red carpet coverage.

"E!'s preeminence on the red carpet, combined with Ryan's stature within the community, really makes E! a must-stop destination for marquee stars," said Adam Stotsky.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

In the past few months the BBC has sold over
800 hours of programming to the African pay-to-play streamer ShowMax and pay-TV
operator StarTimes.

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC,
has sold over 250 hours of content to Naspers' ShowMax, and over 200 hours to
China's StarTimes, MultiChoice's biggest pay-TV rival on the African continent.

In its second deal with ShowMax, the
subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service picked up shows like Absolutely Fabulous and War and Peace. StarTimes took shows like
Luther, Doctor Whoand Call the Midwife.

BBC Worldwide says Africa
has become one of its "most flourishing markets" with a growing demand for
quality BBC programming.

MultiChoice carries several
BBC Worldwide channels on its DStv pay-TV platform across Africa, with South
Africa that carries all five channels – BBC First, BBC Brit, BBC Earth, BBC
Lifestyle and CBeebies.

The BBC says "appetite for BBC content has expanded
rapidly".

"It's an incredibly
exciting time for the television industry in Africa," says Joel Churcher, BBC
Worldwide vice president and general manager for Africa.

"There's an insatiable
appetite for top-tier programmes and BBC
Worldwide content, in particular our drama series, are cutting are
cutting through the wealth of content available and being recognised as some of
the most popular shows across the continent."

FOX has pulled all scheduled repeats of the 4th episode of the shocking 24: Legacy that included footage of the horrific real-life Westgate Mall terrorism attack for terror-tainment purposes.

On Friday afternoon FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131), seen in South Africa and across Africa on MultiChoice's DStv and on China's StarTimes South Africa and On Digital Media's StarSat, rushed to scrub its schedule of the controversial 4th episode of the new 24: Legacy that used inserted real CCTV camera footage of terrorists attacking and killing people in Kenya's Westgate Mall.

24: Legacy, produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Imagine Television and Teakwood Lane Productions for FOX, used the Westgate terror attack as a fictional terrorism attack elsewhere in Africa for the episode entitled "3:00 PM – 4:00 PM".

In the Westgate terror attack in 2013 in Nairobi 67 people were killed and 175 people wounded.

Kenyan and African viewers immediately noticed the 10 seconds of included screen time in the drama, and reacted with shock and horror that the FOX show would use actual terrorism footage for an entertainment drama and then "redress" it for another fictional terror attack.

"This is the footage from Al-Jegrad market in Alexandria Egypt three years ago. The attack was planned and executed by Bin Khalid and his men," a character says while 24: Legacy showed the Westgate Mall attack in the latest episode that left African audiences shocked and angry.

FOX has now pulled the insensitive 4th episode of 24: Legacy deemed highly disrespectful to Kenya and the families of everyone who lost people in the real terrorism attack from all its Sunday and Monday's repeat slots for African and international viewers.

So far there's been no public statement from the FOX Networks Group and FOX Networks Group Africa general manager Gary Alfonso responsible for FOX and the set of Fox channels and content distributed by FNG Africa in South Africa and across Africa.

In a statement from the 24: Legacy executive producers, Evan Katz and Manny Coto says: "In episode 4 of 24: Legacy we regretfully included news footage of an attack in Nairobi. It will be removed from all future broadcasts and versions of the show. We apologize for any pain caused to the victims and their families and are deeply sorry."

The Kenya Film Classification Board in a statement calls FOX and 24: Legacy's use of the real-life footage "repulsive, insensitive and a reckless piece of art that heartlessly evokes the painful memories of the tragic terror attack".

"It flies in the face of basic considerations of human dignity, in total disregard of the feelings of the victims and their families. It is not only an inaccurate and false narrative of the Westgate terror attack, but also a callous piece of entertainment that demeans Africans and Kenyans in particular."

"We are disturbed that 24: Legacy chose to demean and indeed invade into the grief and painful emotions of the tragic Westgate attack. The board condemns in the strongest terms possible this irresponsible piece of entertainment and promises to get to the bottom of this matter as soon as possible".

Thursday, February 23, 2017

The James Bond pop-up channel from M-Net Movies kicks off today on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on DStv channel 109 for DStv Premium subscribers with all of the 007 films broadcast in chronological order.

The James Bond pop-up channel will run from today until 5 March, showing every film from 23 February, restarting on Monday 27 February and again from 3 March.

The 007 channel will carry 4 special documentaries, Now Pay Attention 007 (2000), Best Ever Bond (2002), Bond Girls are Forever (2012) and Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 (2012).

Friday 24 February
09:35 Live and Let Die (1973)
11:37 The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
13:42 The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
15:47 Moonraker (1979)
17:53 For Your Eyes Only (1981)
20:00 Octopussy (1983)
22:10 Never Say Never Again (1983)
00:23 A View to a Kill (1985)

■ Spanish TV gossip shows
violated the rights of a singer by discussing her sex life on the private TV channels, the European Court of Human Rights finds.

■ This is Us is now American television's biggest hit.
Yet its nowhere in South Africa, not on M-Net (DStv 101), not on DStv, e.tv or anywhere else. Vanity Fair has the story on how the great emoti-drama in which "nice people really like each other" dethroned The Big Bang Theory.

The Afrikaans lifestyle channel from Media24 on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform told viewers that they will have to watch a repeat of the episode at 22:00 after the technical sound problems have been fixed.

VIA apologised to viewers and asked them to tune in at 22:00 on Wednesday night, Thursday at 17:00 and 19:00 and on Sunday at 18:30 for repeat broadcasts of the specific Bobby & Karlien: In Jou Skoene episode.

On social media VIA told viewers that the week's episode has an "unexplained sound problem. The team is working to fix it. We humbly apologise. The programme went through all the usual processes. We will keep you up to date".

The episode at 20:30 was broadcast without sound. After 20 minutes it was replaced by a rebroadcast of the previous week's episode.

For instance: Al Jazeera finds that Leanne Manas throws president Jacob Zuma softball questions - that is until the show switches away from SABC2 (viewers) and continues to only be broadcast on MultiChoice's DStv on the SABC News (DStv 404) channel catering to pay-TV audiences.

Now suddenly "Peter Ndoro asks much tougher questions" when a much smaller TV audience is watching.

■ Television graveyard.
Millions of old TV sets are dumped and abandoned in massive warehouses across America - and the hard manual labour involved to break down and destroy or recycle old TV sets.

■ Cameroon viewers treated to TV fight.
After last week's Egypt on-set brouhaha, in Cameroon on Sunday novelist Calixthe Beyala created an "incident close to barbarism and savagery" in an on-set clash.

■ Unnamed Indian TV anchor caught as a prostitute.
Allegedly used her good looks to become involved in prostitution at a guest house in Hyderabad; police reprimanded her for illegal activities and "advised her to pursue her anchoring career professionally".

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The American weekday soap Days of Our Lives broadcast in South Africa on the SABC's SABC3 at late night has been renewed for a 52nd season.

In January this year Days of Our Lives passed 13 000 episodes and is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television.

"It's a great day in Salem!," says Ken Corday, Days of Our Lives executive producer in a statement, announcing the renewal.

"We're pleased to announce that after more than 51 years in the hearts and homes of our amazing fans, Days of our Lives will continue".

We are grateful to our incredible network and longstanding partner Sony for their continued support, and we look forward to what the future will bring under the new creative direction of the show. I'm especially proud to be able to shepherd Days of Our Lives into the new season, continuing my parents dream and the show's legacy."

Jennifer Salke, NBC Entertainment president says "We feel so privileged to be able to continue the remarkable legacy of Days of our Lives. We thank Ken Corday and his team for their incredible accomplishments and look forward to all the stories from Salem that will continue to unfold".

Steve Kent, Sony Pictures Television senior executive vice president for programming says: "Days of Our Lives Lives has a legacy of rich storytelling that has traveled across generations".

"Ken Corday and the cast and crew continue to deliver dynamic storylines and unforgettable performances, and we are proud to continue to bring this award-winning series to audiences both in America and around the world."

FOX News Channel (StarSat 261) has picked up the once-off special OBJECTified that was broadcast in November 2016 as a new 10-episode series that will be shown on Fox News later in 2017 with Harvey Levin touring American celebrities' home as they talk about objects that hold special meaning for them.

OBJECTified on FOX News will be broadcast on Fridays later in 2017, and comes after the TV special that Harvey Levin did with now American president Donald Trump in his gilded Trump Towers in New York.

In the show newsmakers and celebrities will tell their life stories through their personal items.

"The OBJECTified special presented on Fox News exceeded our expectations, so we're thrilled to continue working with Harvey Levin and his talented team of producers on this new series," says Sharri Berg, the Fox News senior vice president of news operations.

"What I love about the show is that it's a different way of telling a life story, and it's relatable to anyone who watches," says Harvey Levin.

"Everyone keeps stuff that means something to them, and when you start probing what the objects mean to you, what was going on in your life at the time, they can unlock the story of who you are today."

OBJECTified will be produced by Harvey Levin Productions in association with Telepictures.

After the SABC announced that it will be taking over and doing a new season of Come Dine with Me South Africa, the embattled South African public broadcaster on Tuesday afternoon was suddenly forced to issued a terse statement saying it won't anymore - and that the show has been taken away from it.

Sources told TVwithThinus on Tuesday evening that it's fully the SABC's own fault and that the public broadcaster lost the opportunity due to failure and "non-delivery of the contract".

TVwithThinusreported two weeks ago that Come Dine with Me SA would be back for a fourth season, and this time revived on SABC3.

The format rights holder, the production company Rapid Blue, who made the previous three seasons, was ready and willing to do a version for SABC3.

It was a win-win-win-win: the production company got to make another season, ITV Studios got a new localised season of its show in a country where viewers are desperate to see more of it, SABC3 got a great quality show to improve its schedule, and viewers got to participate in a show that ended prematurely and has a lot of life and ratings potential left to it.

The SABC has been running on-air promos on SABC3 for two weeks already, asking viewers living in Gauteng in and around Johannesburg to enter Come Dine With Me SA.

The SABC said Come Dine with Me SA would start in July on SABC3 and would be broadcast for 13 weeks - only it's not.

Now it's hella-awkward for the SABC - once again looking amateurish and as if the public broadcaster doesn't know how television works, how to professionally go about it and how to properly do local commissioning deals.

It's not clear why the SABC would promote a show - a local version of the ITV Studios format - and then suddenly two weeks later not have it and why the SABC would announce a show if at the time it didn't have a signed contract.

The awkward public backtracking makes the SABC look like a cat whose milk has turned sour.

Rapid Blue - who previously did Come Dine with Me South Africa for BBC Worldwide's BBC Lifestyle channel on MultiChoice's DStv - took the show away from the SABC just two weeks after the public broadcaster announced it.

The SABC says Rapid Blue has withdrawn its offer to make the show.

The SABC in a statement says "The SABC has been in negotiations with the rights holder, production house Rapid Blue, to showcase Come Dine With Me South Africa. However the Corporation was informed by the production company that they have subsequently withdrawn their offer for us to produce the show."

"The SABC would like to apologise to all South Africans who adhered to the call to action in anticipation that we would be producing the show."

"The SABC strives to have the best local television formats and will continue to pursue bringing you the best of local premium content. Further announcements of the show's replacement will follow."

Rapid Blue in a statement says "Although we will not be moving ahead with SABC3 on this occasions, we remain committed to the Come Dine with Me format and are exploring how best to bring a new series of the show to South African viewers".

The news at the beginning of February that SABC3 would be taking over Come Dine with Me South Africa was met with positive reaction, with South African TV industry insiders welcoming the move and saying that it possibly signaled the start of a turn-around for the ratings-starved and content-struggling SABC3.

Come Dine with Me SA that got glowing reviews during its three seasons on BBC Lifestyle was seen as the start of a commitment by SABC3 to return to quality programming and to steer away from terrible shows like Divas of Jozi, Top Chef South Africa and Arthur Mafokate's awful A Date with Arthur (filmed in his real-life living room) none of which got ratings or acclaim.

CNBC Africa (DStv 410) that turns a decade old on 1 June this year, has opened a second TV studio - with an adjacent lounge - in Rwanda at the Kigali Convention Centre in the African country's capital of Kigali.

The business TV channel run by the ABN Group and carried by MultiChoice's DStv in South Africa and across Africa, as well as in Nigeria on StarTimes Nigeria since October 2016, was opened on Friday 17 February.

The ABN Group didn't want to tell the media about it and days later there's been no press release or statement issued by CNBC Africa to the media.

It's noteworthy since ABN and CNBC Africa in earlier years during its African expansion and opening of news bureaux did keep the media up to date about its opening of offices and studios and future bureau plans.

CNBC Africa wants to use the Kigali TV studio at the convention centre to tie in with events and conferences that's being held there.

On the CNBC Africa website Roberta Naicker, ABN Group managing director is quoted saying "This television studio in the Kigali Convention Centre marks yet another step towards our ongoing commitment to not only Rwanda, but East Africa, and in telling the African economic story from all corners of the continent."

"As the channel celebrates its 10th Anniversary on 1 June, we are excited to be able to add this important presence on the front line of one of the most high-tech convention center's to our content offering".

■ Why there's no NBA basketball on DStv anymore.
MultiChoice lost the rights to NBA broadcasts in sub-Saharan Africa to Kwesé Sports with the deal "that is a huge blow for SuperSport". Of course it was the NBA All-Stars and nobody in Africa could really watch.
- Making it even more bizarre is the NBA planning to return to South Africa. Hilarious considering that a dead brand for a barely there American sport doesn't want its actual content and matches shown on television in South Africa.

■ Dishing dirt on Awful Park:
The rot at the SABC is finally being exposed - choice quotes from parliament's ongoing SABC investigation.

■ Nigeria's Ndani TV has burnt down.
The online TV channel in Lagos, Nigeria saw its Ndani Studio go up in flames over the weekend, billions feared lost - including already filmed new seasons of shows, as well as back-up copies.

■ BEST TV story headline this year:"Trolls worse than zombies," says The Walking Dead star.
Of course actor Josh McDermitt of The Walking Dead on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131) is talking about internet and social media shamers.

Last night in Sweden people listened to ABBA, but in Poland some most likely watched ShowMax: the service pulled in 172 000 subscribers on its launch day.

As expected, ShowMax launched in Poland last week with a monthly subscription of 5euro (R70.90) and a 14-day free trial.

ShowMax's development hub is based in the neighbouring Czech Republic, that made the jump to Poland the perfect choice as the springboard for ShowMax's European expansion aspirations.

According to reports, ShowMax signed up 172 000 subscribers sampling the service.

When Netflix launched in Poland in January 2016 it drew 337 600 subscribers with the service that offers a month-long free trial. By February 2017 Netflix had 80 000 subscribers, with 385 900 people who've used the service during 2016

Interestingly, Naspers' pay-to-play streamer with its launch last week managed to lure more than half of the number of Polish subscribers that Netflix did that has a much larger global brand awareness.

ShowMax, launched in August 2015 in South Africa, doesn't yet release subscriber numbers for South Africa or Africa but in mid-July 2016 said that the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service has racked up more than 10 million "views".

ShowMax said "the cumulative number of TV shows and movies watched by ShowMax customers exceeded 10 million. In total, more than five million hours of content have been viewed, the equivalent of more than 500 years if played back-to-back".

M-Net's Channel O (DStv 320) as a sponsor of the Cape Town Carnival 2017 this year will be doing an open-air after-party on Saturday 18 March on the Green Point Fan Walk.

The theme of Cape Town Carnival 2017 held annually during March, is "AMAZA - Ocean Odyssey" with up to 50 000 people expected to pour into the Mother City to watch the parade that's a project from the national department of arts and culture.

DJ Fresh and Euphonik will be taking the stage at the end of the Fan Walk and bring visitors of the Cape Town Carnival 2017 live music from a gigantic sea-urchin float. This float with an impressive array of lights and colour, will be surrounded by massive speakers.

"M-Net and Channel O are proud to be a part of this outstanding event," says Nkateko Mabaso, M-Net general manager for South Africa. "We pride ourselves on our local content offering and Channel O is the perfect brand to host the after-party which showcases the various local music genres we have in South Africa".

"We're very excited to be working with M-Net's Channel O this year, making the carnival a brilliant, all-round experience," says Jay Douwes, Cape Town Carnival CEO.

More than 50 community groups will bring the Green Point Fan Walk alive with spectacular floats, giant puppets and extravagant costumes with spectactors from across the world coverging along the 1.2 km parade route.

The successful black TV producer Shona Ferguson has slammed South Africa's TV and film industry, saying black producers are "disrespected and ill-treated for doing good" and that "white producers are never disrespected by black folks".

It's not clear what prompted the actor-producer's statement on Friday evening on social media.

Shona Ferguson's public lashing over the perceived disrespect that black TV producers endure, however comes exactly a day after all of the highly rated productions from Ferguson Films were completely snubbed by the 11th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) that's set to take place in March at Sun City.

The 2017Saftas is once again being embroiled in a boycott by South African TV producers who slammed the awards show organised by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) for its apparent lack of transparency and problems with the judging process.

In addition, a very glaring snub is Ferguson Films whose top shows like The Queen, Rockville and Igazi on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) were all shut out.

While The Queen, Rockville and Igazi as premium locally produced programming draw huge ratings for MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform on the M-Net packaged channel - meaning they are shows that viewers love and watch in droves - none of these series, its crews or casts are included for any recognition this year in any of the nominee categories at the 2017 Saftas.

In a series of tweets on Friday evening, with no indication as to why he's saying so, Shona Ferguson who co-own Ferguson Films with his actress-producer wife Connie Ferguson, highlighted race issues in South Africa's TV and film industry and perceived ill-treatment.

"Don't focus on the flash and think it's been an easy ride. In fact it gets harder every day. Being a black producer is not easy," said Shona Ferguson.

"You are disrespected and ill-treated for doing good, creating jobs and giving people opportunities to do what they love and earn a living.

"You work hard to contribute to the industry and grow it, but it's the very people that you give these opportunities to that spit in your face. White producers are never disrespected by black folks. It's sad that it's our brothers and sisters who wish you ill because you are doing well."

"It's about the work. Connie and I, through Ferguson Films, have been delivering A+, because we work hard. We love and appreciate what we do."

"We are very grateful. We are not asking for special treatment. All I ask is you give us the same respect you give the white producers."

"This is a very small industry. Be careful how you treat people and how you behave. When you are out of work tomorrow, just know it's all on you," said Shona Ferguson, adding that "I just want to make great TV and films".

■ Nigeria still hysterical over Big Brother Naija being filmed in South Africa.
Now it's Ralph Nwadike, president if Nigeria's Association of Movie Producers (AMP), foaming at the mouth in yet another newspaper hit-piece filled with hilarious lies about MultiChoice and saying: "No matter the monies and equipment they think they have, South Africa, in terms of production qualities and values, can never match up to Nigeria's standard". Sure.
And another bombastic filmmaker, Dr Don-Pedro Obaseki also lies about MultiChoice and says Nigeria is DStv's biggest market.
- Here is a FACT CHECK of the numerous fake claims - courtesy of TVwithThinus.

Nigeria's The Guardian newspaper, in an apparently sugar-high from drinking the fake-news Kool-Aid, published a loving hit-piece slamming MultiChoice for the ongoing controversy over Big Brother Naija being produced in South Africa instead of Nigeria.

The trash-piece published deserves comment, since journalists Omiko Awa and Margaret Mwantok and The Guardian editors apparently couldn't be bothered to actually fact check the various claims as the newspaper unleashed the mistake-filled criticism that reads more like a Donald Trump rant.

Nigeria's The Guardian newspaper couldn't bother to actually seek and include comment from MultiChoice Africa, nor the actual producers in South Africa.

The biased article is filled with numerous inaccuracies, outright lies and some eye-rolling quotes from ill-informed and clearly clueless Nigerian filmmakers.

Since The Guardian isn't going to correct the record after this fountain of fake (and is probably not even capable of doing so), let me:

■ "seasoned professionals in film making and show business, noted that the job could perfectly have been handled in Nigeria."

FACT: No, as MultiChoice Africa stated, you need an uninterrupted electricity supply 24/7, people who don't come and switch off generators, and actual infrastructure, like studios, with a house that already exists and has been used for all of the other Big Brother Africa and other countries' versions.

■ Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, who granted the permission"

FACT: Nobody "granted permission" for a second season of Big Brother Naija, least of all Nigeria's broadcasting commission. The closest to "granting permission" anything, was M-Net and M-Net West Africa commissioning editors greenlighting the show.

■ "apart from being a rip-off on the economy."

FACT: Ironically all of the Nigerian DStv subscribers and GOtv subscribers paying to watch Big Brother Naija are collectively contributing more to Nigeria's economy through their monthly subscription fees than the single limited-run production's operating budget.

■ Ralph Nwadike, president of Nigeria's Association of Movie Producers: "South Africa, in terms of production qualities and values, can never match up to Nigeria's standard".

FACT: South Africa has the most advanced film and TV production sector on the African continent with the best equipment and production industry, including post-production.

In terms of content volume output (what is made), it would be correct to say that Nigeria has the world's second largest film industry after India. Keep in mind though that quantity doesn't equate to quality.
■ Ralph Nwadike, president of AMP: "They have the money to throw around because their banks believe in them".

FACT: This is an unsubstantiated lie.

Also, South African TV and film producers struggle as much to secure funding for productions and projects.

South Africa has better laws for direct foreign investment making it easier for productions wanting to film in South Africa - where Nigeria is driving companies and investors away (several multinationals from retail to airlines have been and are divesting from Nigeria).

South Africa has several regional film commissions, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and others actively trying to lure and help overseas and local producers to complete projects.

■ Ralph Nwadike, president of AMP: "Nigerian producers are the best in the world. We are not among the best, but the best".FACT: A false claim. EmpiricallyAmerican, British and European producers are the best and have been doing it for the longest. Other parts of the world are making strides, are not competing in a level playing field, but no developing country can make such a claim.

■ Ralph Nwadike, president of AMP: "some years back, a 30-minute soap opera in South Africa was worth $1 million".FACT: More Donald Trump-ish inauguration crowd size verbosity. If true, everybody would be working in, or making television.

■ Ralph Nwadike, president president of AMP: "insolence from MultiChoice".FACT: Insolence is more apt to describe the massive intellectual property theft and content piracy that's rife in Nigeria and not just hampering Nigeria's own film and TV industry but also scaring off prospective overseas producers.

■ Filmmaker, Chief Eddie Ugbomah: "described South Africans as ‘cunning and complex people’. He said the Big Brother show generates N5 million daily".

FACT: Generalisations are bad. Donald Trump for instance called Mexicans killers and rapists. That is not true and neither are a claim that South Africans are "cunning and complex people". South Africa isn't one type of people.

FACT:Big Brother Naija is actually more what would be called a (big word) "loss leader". A big part of Big Brother Naija reason for existence, as with Big Brother Africa previously, is not to make money as a show, but to drive DStv uptake, in other words, DStv subscriber growth.

The show has a bigger purpose that yields dividends over a longer term than just the short lifespan of the 11 week show. It also has a bigger scope than just Nigeria, it targets pan-Africa.

DStv and GOtv subscribers (in Nigeria, and in other countries) sign up to watch a daily show like Big Brother Naija and the TV show cultivates the habit (classic conditioning as described by Pavlov) of repeated viewing.

The show actually tries to change and influence viewing behaviour by forming a new habit. When Big Brother Naija ends, subscribers don't cancel but remain subscribers and now keep watching and migrate to other TV fare as part of this learned behaviour.

That is how MultiChoice Africa eventually really benefits and in a sense "makes" money; not in effect so much from a single season of Big Brother Naija.

■ Filmmaker, Chief Eddie Ugbomah: "Nigerian items, even food items, are not being patronised due to the dominance of South African products. I wish someone from the media would take this up. Unless the industry goes to see President Buhari and make him see reason to ban such productions, South Africans will always dominate."

FACT: Nigeria's president Muhammadu Buhari has been on an unexplained, extended overseas "holiday" for weeks. The film industry can't see him. And wherever he is, he's definitely not himself buying and eating Nigerian food.

FACT: Nigeria only has about 1.5 million DStv subscribers out of the 11 million pay-TV subscribers MultiChoice had by the end of September 2016.

At over 6 million subscribers, South Africa as DStv's biggest market has more DStv subscribers, and more than half, than the rest of Africa (including Nigeria) combined.

■ Dr Don-Pedro Obaseki, filmmaker: " It would boost their economy while exploiting Nigerians."FACT: The only real "exploitation" happening is not in economic terms but of the contestants who forever lose their right to privacy, and to a lesser sense personal reputation - but all through their own choice.

■ Forster Ojehonmon, AMP secretary-general: "Production that is meant for Nigerians, about Nigeria and for Nigeria should not be shot elsewhere."

FACT: A large number of Nigerian music videos and Nigerian TV commercials the past two years right up until the end of 2016 have been done in South Africa, especially Cape Town. Should that all be stopped too?

Imagine American TV shows, from Sense8 to Black Sails and Preachers - because the primary audience is Americans - said they won't shoot in Kenya, South Africa and African countries because "production is meant for Americans".

M-Net and M-Net West Africa's Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards 2017 (AMVCA 2017) will take place in March, once again in Lagos, Nigeria as it has been for several years now.

By the same twisted logic, the AMVCAs - an African awards show and not a Nigerian awards show should then not be staged in Nigeria since it's not meant for Nigerians alone.

■ Forster Ojehonmon, AMP secretary-general: "Entertainment is the second or third largest revenue earner of any country."FACT: Another lie and fake-out generalisation to bolster perceived self-importance.

Although growing, entertainment isn't by far one of the biggest, nor second or third revenue earner of any country.

It is not the case in Nigeria, where the entertainment industry is not the second or third biggest contributor to GDP by sector, and also not in South Africa.

About Me

is an independent TV critic, writer and journalist in South Africa as well as a pop culture and media expert.
He writes breaking news about TV for daily and weekly leading publications in the country and authors trend and analysis pieces about the TV business.In addition he writes regular weekly and monthly TV columns. He has and continues to write extensively about TV - chronicling what's on it and happening behind the scenes.